On-call firefighter speaks out to encourage residents of all ages to consider the role

We are currently recruiting on-call firefighters for various fire stations across Staffordshire and to shed more light on the role, Marie Kelleher has shared her story.

Marie works as an on-call firefighter at Tutbury Community Fire Station, a role she has been in for two years and currently juggles with running her own wellness clinic and working as a wholetime firefighter on a casual basis.

Speaking about what first attracted her to the role, Marie said: "It’s something I wanted to do when I was younger but then I had some health issues and then had my son so life just got in the way.

"A few years ago, I had some free-time and I’d seen adverts for on-call and a few of my friends are on-call firefighters so we had a chat about it and it sounded really exciting and I thought ‘yeah, I could do that’.”

"I also run a wellness clinic in Ashby-de-la-Zouch so I've got the calm of the clinic and the adrenaline rush of the fire, it's a brilliant combination."

One of the most common misconceptions about on-call firefighters is that there is an age limit but Marie is keen to encourage people of all ages to apply.

She said: "I started firefighting in my 40s so it’s important that everybody considers that it’s something for them. I’m probably fitter now than I’ve ever been, even when I was doing a sports degree at university!"

The community also plays a big part in why Marie enjoys working in both of her firefighting roles and reinforces why maintaining fitness levels is so important.

She explained: “The job drives you to be fitter and to think about your lifestyle choices a bit more because you’re not just being fit for yourself, you’re being fit for all the people you are trying to help.”

Speaking about what motivates her and what she enjoys most about the role she said: “You’re there to help people and the community is the main centre of what we do.

“No day is ever the same.”

As on-call firefighters can be alerted to help the community at a moment’s notice Marie explained how she makes sure she is ready to go: “I make sure I have everything laid out so I can literally roll out of bed, put in my contact lenses, get dressed and run out of the door!”

If you've ever thought about becoming a firefighter or working for the fire service, becoming an on-call firefighter could be the perfect path for you.

The role of an on-call firefighter is exactly the same as that of a full-time firefighter but with one difference – on-call firefighters aren’t based at the fire station all the time, they have an alerter and they only respond when there’s an emergency.

Anyone over the age of 18 who lives within a five-minute radius of an on-call station can apply to become an on-call firefighter, and all applicants will go through the same recruitment and training process.

On-call firefighters receive the same training as full-time firefighters - but without the 16-week time restraint - which involves a number of different aspects such as working at heights, breathing apparatus, road traffic collisions and first aid.

Marie said: "The job is perfect if you like learning, you like being part of a community, working as part of a team, and having that little bit of excitement doing things that not everyone gets to do every day, I would recommend it to anyone, no matter what age!"

To find out more about the role and to apply, visit On-call firefighter recruitment